Mortuary casket.



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Patented 0011.1,1912.

W. L. BEAR.

MORTUARY CASKET.

APPLICATION FILED MAI 14, 1912.

WITNESSES MM i UNITED srnrns PATENT onmon WILLIAM I]. BEAR, 0FWTLLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD T0 JOHN S. SPEEB. ANDONE-THIRD TO GEORGE P. FRYLING.

MORTUARY CASKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM L. BEAR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Vil lialnsport, Pennsylvania, have invented a new andImproved Mortuary Casket, of which the following is a specification.

An object of my invention is to provide a casket with an indestructibleand impervious sealing device.

A further object is to provide antiseptic material between two of thesealing memhere.

A further object is to provide a novel form of locking means for theouter sealing member.

The invention further consists in the particular form and combination ofparts set forth.

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will be suflicientlydescribed hereinafter in connection with a detailed description of theaccompanying drawing which shows one exemplifying embodiment of theinvention. It is to be understood,

however, that the invention can be embodied in many different forms.

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the casket inclosure. Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section of the closure end.

The casket body 1 may be of any convenient shape but is usually ofrectangular outline. It may consist of glass, porcelain, enameled iron,bronze, or other indestructible material which is impervious to water orgases. One end of the casket is left open for insertion of the coffinand after insertion this end is permanently and hermetically closed bya-special closure which will now be described.

The end of the body is countersunk leaving a shoulder 52. Within thecountersink and against the shoulder is placed an inner sealing plate 3,which may be of any suitable material, such as glass, porcelain,enameled iron, bronze, etc. This plate is provided with a plurality ofspring-locking hooks 4E suitably connected to the plate and engaginghook sockets 5 formed in the body. Obviously, when the plate is pushedinto position these hooks spring back and then outward to engage thesockets and the plate is then automatically and immovably locked inposition.

Dowel pins 6 passing through the plate and through dowel holes in theshoulder 2 further lock and secure the plate in position. The plate isprovided about its periphery with a, groove, and the countersink orbodyportion opposite the plate is provided with a complemental groove, and avent 6 communicates with this circumferential recess at the top, asshown in Fig. 1. After the plate is in position the groove is filledwith molten lead or other suitable metal through the vent 6 and when setthis forms a permanent water and gas-tight seal 7 between the plate andthe body. In addition, cement may be placed between the plate and theshoulder 2 and about the edge of the plate when necessary or desirable.A packing 8 is then placed in a layer upon the inner plate. This packingmay vary greatly, but in a preferred form consists of a suitable baseimpregnated with a disinfectant such as formaldehyde. The base may, forexample, be asbestos. The outer locking plate 10 is then put in positionwithin the countersink and secured by dowel pins 11. The heads of thesepins are countersunk in sockets 12 and the sockets are filled up withcement 13 flush with the outer faces of the casket. The plate is'alsolocked by a double boltpassing through the edges of the casket and abore 14 provided in the plate. This bolt comprises a hollow internallythreaded member 15 and a solid member 16 screw threaded at the end toengage the hollow bolt. The casket is provided with countersinks 17 toreceive the nut heads 18 of the bolts which are set up in an obviousmanner and then thecountersinks may be filled with cement flush with thefaces of the casket.

The two locking plates are desirable for complete security and alsobecause they securely retain between them the packing 8 of which thedisinfecting medium, such as for maldehyde, neutralizes any gases whichmight escape past the inner plate 3.

Evidently, when the seal is completed the casket forms a singleimpervious inclosure which is practically indestructible by the gradualaction of natural forces or even by violence.

I claim:

1. In a mortuary casket, the combination of a body open at one end, aprimary looking plate, permanent locking means therefor, sealing meanstherefor, a second sealing plate, locking means therefor, and adisinfecting packing interposed between the plates.

2. In a mortuary casket, the combination 3. In a mortuary casket, thecombination of a body, a primary locking plate, sealing means therefor,packing, a second sealing plate secured outside the packing, dowel pinssecuring the second plate and a compound bolt passing through the bodyand second plate for locking the latter in position.

WILLIAM L. BEAR.

Witnesses D. M. SMITH, M. A. WOOD.

Copies at this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

